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Monday, May 27, 2013

What will I miss in Finland?

I have exactly 1 week left in Finland before my feet again touch US soil. I'm glad to be visiting home, but I'm sad to be missing the most beautiful season in Finland, summer. I have really enjoyed Finland. It's good I'm coming back in August.

As part of my internship, I started a international student blog SAMK Stories. The first post for the blog, I wrote myself, "Top 10 Things I Will Miss About Finland." Not very original but still enjoyable. I'll post the last 5 here, but if you want to read the rest check out the original article.

#10 - How well everything works

Systems and services in Finland run, in my opinion, very efficiently--unlike my Erasmus experience in Spain, where everything was always mañana ('tomorrow'). I was surprised to find that I often received mail the very next day after it was sent. That does not happen in the US. Businesses and grocery stores keep convenient hours. However, I do miss the 24 hours stores in my country. I have yet to find any stores open 24 hours here.

#9 - Summertime sun

Well, it isn't quite summertime yet, but days are already very long. The sun rises around 4 am and sets late into the night, almost 11 pm. So much sunlight makes me feel energized, happy, and very productive. On the downside, I do not sleep as well at night. Who wants to go to sleep when there is still sun outside?!

#8 - Finnish food

Finnish food is not very different from the food I eat in my country, but there are some unique dishes that I will miss: pulla, rye bread, and Karelian pastries. I think Finns create a dessert or bread for almost every holiday!

#7 - My internship at SAMK

I have really enjoyed my time here at SAMK. It has been nice working instead of studying all the time. Spending time with my Finnish co-workers has taught me a lot about the culture and language that you can only learn from the 'inside.'

#6 - No small talk

It is very refreshing for me that Finns actually enjoy silence. Not talking on the train or bus is completely normal and comfortable to them. In the US, people tend to think silence is uncomfortable. We feel a pressure to talk constantly, even if the conversation is completely meaningless.

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To find out what I will miss most about Finland, read the rest of the article here.

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About Me

I'm just a girl from a small town, but I have a BIG dream to travel the world. Having studied International Business, I'm on a journey to create an international career for myself. First, I lived in Spain as part of a study abroad program. Now, I'm doing an internship in Finland. Follow me on my adventure.